1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for transporting and positioning an inner panel relative to an outer panel for connecting the inner and outer panels together in overlapping fashion.
2. (Description of the Prior Art)
The prior art transporting and positioning method of a type referred to above will be discussed with reference to FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings. According to the prior art method, an outer panel 2 is transported to a first work support 1, and an inner panel 4 is transported to a second work support 3. The inner panel 4 so transported to the second work support 2 is then allowed to fall onto the outer panel 2, followed by the elevation of a work receptacle to lift the overlapping inner and outer panels 4 and 2. The overlapping inner and outer panels 4 and 2 are then connected together at a marriage processing station 6 by the use of a marriage technique. This prior method is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-13184 published in 1980.
Since the prior art method described above is such that the inner panel 4 is allowed to fall onto the outer panel 2 prior to the both being connected together in overlapping fashion, the inner panel 4 tends to deviate in position relative to the outer panel 2 to such an extent as to result in reduction in the assembling efficiency.